Drawing board support



R. J. SCOTT I 2,148,307

DRAWING BOARD SUPPORT Feb. 21, 1939.

Filed Sept. 30, 1937 INVENTOR ROLAND J. SCOTT BY 6 ygra ATTORNE Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to drawing board sup ports, such as are used by draftsmen or artists, and more particularly, to a device of this type adapted for attachment to a table of ordinary construction.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a support of this kind provided with the necessary parts and so constructed as to adapt it for attachment to practically all of the forms of 6 ordinary table now in use, having regard to considerable variation in the depth and thickness of the table apron, its spacing from the edge of the table top and other features of variance in tables of this kind.

A further object is to provide a support of this kind so arranged as to enable the drawing board to be mounted and firmly supported in an inclined position at or below the level of the table top, so that it is convenient for and readily accessible by an artisan when sitting in a chair in front of the board, and which nevertheless permits the board to be raised to higher elevations when the artisan desires to sit upon a stool or stand in front of the board.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drawing support of the character described which is neat in appearance, which is strong and rigid and may be firmly attached to the table so as to firmly support the drawing board when in use, in which attachment of the support to the table and adjustment of the board upon the support to various positions may be readily accomplished, and which support is relatively simple and inexpensive and yet durable.

Further objects are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a perspective view showing my improved bracket or holder attached to a table, a portion of the table being shown broken away and the drawing board being omitted; and

Fig. 2 is in part a side elevation and in part a sectional elevation, showing a portion of the bracket broken away.

In the drawing, the support is shown applied to an ordinary table having a fiat top 1 and a downwardly extending apron 2. While the bracket or support may be formed of any suitable material, for purposes of illustration it is shown as consisting of a strong metal strap bent to form two substantially horizontal arm portions 3, 4 joined by means of a substantially vertical body portion 5. When the support is secured to the table one arm portion 3 rests upon the table, the

vertical body portion 5 engages the edge of the table top and extends downwardly substantially parallel with and outwardly beyond the apron, and the other horizontal arm 4 extends beneath the table top a considerable distance beyond the apron 2, its inner end portion being provided with an upwardly extending block or lug 6.

Suitable means are provided for removably attaching the device to the table. As illustrated in the drawing an elongated bolt or screw 1 having a handle 8 is threaded through the arm portion 4 of the strap and is provided with a swivelled head 9 which forms an abutment to engage the lower surface of the table top I and which abutment may be set in various positions as the bolt 1 is adjusted upwardly. If the head 9 is pressed into engagement with the table top the adjustment tends to force the lower portion of the body 5 horizontally outwardly. To tightly secure the bracket to the table and to maintain the body portion 5 in a substantially vertical position, a plate I having a horizontally extending flange I I at its lower portion may be forced forwardly against the rear surface of apron 2 by means of a rod l2 threaded through the lug 6 and provided with a swivelled head l3 and a handle l4. Clamping adjustment of this. same threaded rod l2 also tends to clamp or anchor the abutment 9 more firmly against the lower surface of the table top to increase rigidity of the entire structure, as will be obvious. The horizontal flange H lies beneath a slide I provided with end arms l5a bent to receive the edges of the arm portion 4 of the frame. When the handle I4 is turned to release the head B from the plate ID, the plate In and slide may be slid along the horizontal arm 4 of the frame. Because the upper and lower arms 3, 4 are spaced apart farther than the maximum vertical width of the apron in tables of this type, and because arm 4 has extra length, this arrangement enables the clamp to be accommodated to any form or arrangement of table apron, whether said apron is wide or narrow or is spaced near to or far from the edge of the table top, as will be readily apparent.

For maintaining the drawing board in a position accessible to the artisan while sitting in front of the board, a bracket [1 is secured in any desired manner, such as by welding, to the vertical portion of the frame, preferably at a low level. As illustrated, bracket I1 is substantially V-shaped and is provided with a rigid reinforcing tube It welded or otherwise secured thereto through which extends the rod l9 upon which the board is mounted. Means are provided to adjustably secure the rod IS in the proper position, such as a set screw 2| which extends through the support I! and reinforcing tube l8 and engages the rod [9. The board is hinged on the upper end of the rod 18 and means, such as a clamp screw 22, is also provided to adjustably secure the drawing board at the desired inclination.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my improved support may be readily applied to or released from the table by tightening or releasing bolts 1 and 12. If it is desired to fix the support more or less permanently to the table, however, openings 26 and 21 are provided to receive screws or bolts (not shown) for this purpose, but such securement is not essential. Bolts 1 and I2 and the slide Ill are concealed beneath the table and consequently the support presents a neat appearance. It will be noted that the bracket I! is fixed to the vertical body portion of the frame and consequently the board may be adjusted until it is substantially level with the table or one end of the board may be inclined below the surface of the table as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. It is therefore readily accessible to the artisan while sitting. The board, however, may be adjusted to higher levels so that the artisan can work upon it while standing.

It will also be apparent that by extending the body portion a substantial distance below the level of the table top, not only the bracket I1 may be supported at a low level, but the arm 4 may be extended beneath the apron of substantially all tables of ordinary construction.

What I claim is:

1. A device for supporting drawing boards adapted to be attached to a table having a top and a downwardly extending apron, comprising a frame formed of a piece of relatively thin metal having its ends shaped to form upper and lower parallel arms and an intermediate body portion, the upper arm being adapted to rest on the upper surface of the table and the lower arm being adapted to extend beneath and a substantial dis- 'tance beyond said apron, a bracket attached at a low level to said body portion 'for supporting a drawing board, and means for securing the frame to the table, including clamping means extending from the lower arm beyond said apron to the lower surface of the table, and a second clamping means extending from said lower arm to the inner face of the apron for maintaining the body portion substantially vertical.

2. A device for supporting drawing boards adapted to be attached to a table having a top and a downwardly extending apron, comprising a frame formed of a piece of relatively thin metal having its ends shaped to form upper and lower parallel arms and an intermediate body portion, the upper arm being adapted to rest on the upper surface of the table and the lower arm being adapted to extend beneath and a substantial distance beyond said apron, a bracket attached at a low level to said body portion for supporting a drawing board, and means for securing the frame to the table, including clamping means mounted upon said lower arm and effective upon the inner face of the apron for maintaining said body portion substantially vertical, and an abutment member also supported upon the lower arm and extending to and engaging the lower surface of the tabletop.

ROLAND J. SCOTT. 

